Cutter for asphalt tiles and the like



Jan. 27, 1953 c. A. REGELE 2,626,664

CUTTER FOR ASPHALT TILES AND THE! LIKE Filed Nov. 9'. 1949 I 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Jan. 27, 1953 c. A. REGELE 2,526,664

CUTTER FOR ASPHALT TILES AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 9, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Z] wu c/wto'r' CHARLES A REGELE a a t certain of the tiles.

Patented Jan. 27, 1953 CUTTER FOR ASPHALT TILES AND THE LIKE Charles A. Regele, Manheim Township,

' Lancaster County, Pa.

Application November 9, 1949, Serial No. 126,305

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, and is directed particularly to a small portable hand-operated type of cutter which may be used by the installation mechanic on the .job for shearing asphalt tiles or the like.

Asphalt tile compositions are relatively hard and tough. They are generally laid in the form of tiles secured to the supporting base by an adhesive. In order to provide a workmanlike installation, it is desirable to provide the tile with sharp, clean edges. As supplied to the layer from the factory, the tiles have such sharp, clean cut edges; but in practically every installation it is necessary to cut some of the tiles, due to the irregular shape of the room in which the tiles are installed, the presence of obstructions such as display counters or the like in stores, and other irregularities which necessitate the severance of In some types of border treatment a whole series of-diagonally cut half tiles will be required, and these may be severed from full size tiles on the job.

The conventional cutters now on the market are adaptations of slate cutters, and their action is essentially a fracturing or breaking one rather than a shearing or severing action which is desirable in order to produce the required sharp edges.

An object of the invention is to provide a cutter for severing asphalt tile and the like which will perform a shearing operation and. provide the severed tiles with sharp, square edges.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutter which will satisfactorily sever asphalt tiles and the like by actual severance of the material through a portion at least of the thickness of the product prior to fracture.

'line IIIIIIof Figure 1;

Figure 4'is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view showing the cutting'b adfis; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed isometric view, partially in section, showing the action of the blades in severance.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises a frame member 2 having a pair of legs 3 and 4. The frame includes a lower cross member 5 provided with a reinforcing platform 5, an upper cross support I, and a pair of upright posts 8 and 9. ,The whole frame is preferably formed from a single malleable or grey iron casting. Referring to Figure 3, the lower cross member 5 is provided with a milled recess III which receives a lower stationary cutter bar I I. The cutter bar II is secured to the cross member 5 by machine screws I2 (Figure 1) which pass through slots I3 in the lower cutter bar II and are received in threaded openings provided in the cross member 5.

An upper'movable'cutter bar I4 is'mounted'in cooperative severing'relationshi-p with the lower cutter bar I I. The upper cutter bar I4 is floated from the upper cross member I by a machine screw I5 disposed approximately in the center longitudinally of the upper cutter bar I4. This machine screw I5 passes through a slotted opening I6 in the upper cutter bar and is received within a threaded opening in the upper cross support I. A washer I1 is provided surrounding the shank of the machine screw I5 adjacent the head thereof, and a lock nut I8 is provided for holding the machine screw in adjusted position with the blade I4 pressed firmly against and in sliding engagement with a milled surface I9 provided on the upper cross support I to provide for accurate movement of the upper cutter bar I4 with respect to the lower stationary cutter bar I I, substantially free of lateral motion. Both the milled surfaces I0 and I9 are accurately machined to provide for close sliding engagement of the upper cutter bar I4 over the lowercutter bar II. The outer ends of the upper cutter bar I4 are guided by flat steel plates 29 and 2| which nected together by an actuating bar 28 for simultaneous movement. The cams 26 and 21 are pivoted to the frame at the upright posts 8 and 9 by the mach'inescrews 23' which serve to secure the upper ends of the plates and 2I to the frame. The cam are made from plate steel, and their thickness corresponds to the thickness of theblade I4 so that when the unit. is assembledthe cams will be disposed between the milled surface I9 of the frame member and theflat surfaces of. the plates 20 and ZI for free pivotal movement.

therebetween.

The pivots 23 for the cams 28 and 21 are so" positioned that the upper cutter bar I4'will. have its cutting edge inclinediwith respect to the cutting edge of. the lower. cutter bar I I. In the embodiment illustratedin Figure l', the pivot 23 for the cam 26 is closer to the cutting edge of the lower cutter'ba-r I F thanis the pivot for the cam Z'I. The cam 2'6is provided with an extension 29 which receives an operating handle,v not shown. As the handle ismovedto the left in Figure 1, the connecting bar 28 is moved laterally of the movable cutter bar and the cams 26 and Z'I are pivoted inunison about the screws.23,.rivets 36 passin through the connecting bar 28 joining the cams 26 and 21 to the bar 28. The cam surfaces 3-1 which bear against the. upper surface 32 of.- the. upper cutter bar [4' are so shaped that a uniform downward. motion is imparted to the upper cutter bar I4. without substantially changing the angular relationship of the cutting edge of the upper cutter bar l4 with respect to the cutting. edge. of. the lower cutter bar ll.,.and thus the severingaction is progressive along the length of the. cutter bars. This isv important in the severance of. asphalt. tile and similar materials of a relatively hard and tough. character where a shearing action, as contrasted with a fracturing action, is. desired in order to secure sharp, straight edges.

In order to return the blade to its: upper positionupon completion. of the. severing operation and returnof the operating handle portion 29 to the position ShOWl'lf Figure 1, there is provided a-pair of return springs 33 and 34 which are pivotally attached to projecting rivets 35 secured to the upper cutter bar [4 and corresponding rivets 36 secured to the cam-connecting bar 28. This arrangement insures that the bladewill be properly returned, for the action of the bar imparts a nonuniform tension to the springs and effects aslight rocking motion to the cutter bar. Any tendency for the blade to stick is thus avoided.

A guide arrangement is provided on the cutter as shown in Figures 2 and 3. It includes a rod 31 which is received within a, screw threaded projecting boss 42 provided with an opening 43 which receives the rod 31. The boss 42 isalso provided with a threaded opening which receives 4 a thumb screw 44 which looks the guide in adjusted position on the rod 31.

As shown in Figure 2, the guide 4| has a pair of legs 45 which are disposed at a angle with respect to one another. In the severance of diagonally cut tiles, a corner of the tile to be severed is disposed on a table surface 46 of the guide, with the projecting edges of the tile lying in engagement with the legs 45 and with the tile extending through the opening between the cutter bars II and I4. The position of the guide H is adjusted along the rod 3'! so as to'cut the tiles into pieces-of the. desired. dimensions. The guide 41 is: reversible so as to present a surface 41 which will be disposed parallelly to the cutting edges of the cutter bars when the guide is positioned on the rod 31, and thus the severance of a multiplicity of tiles into rectangular-shaped pieces of desired dimensions will be facilitated. Once the guide 4| has been adjusted on the bar 31, it will be merely necessary for the operator to slide the individual tilesagainst the surface 41 and sever thetiles into pieces, one after another.

An improved severing action is obtained with the device of this invention if one of the cutter bars, preferably the movable upper one, is provided with a hollow ground edge as shown to enlarged scale in Figure 4' where the hollow ground edge has been indicated at 48'; This may be accomplished by grinding the edge with a 6-inch diameter wheel disposed with its axis parallel to the length of the blade being ground. The illustration in Figure 4 is of a blade approximately one-quarter of an inch thick ground with such a wheel. The lower or stationary blade II may also be hollow ground, butthis is not essential so long as the upper blade is hollow ground. Satisfactory results havebeen achieved with a flat ground blade I I one-eighth of an inch wide and ground at an angle of 10" to the horizontal as indicated in Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 5, which diagrammatical ly illustrates the serving action by the upper blade I4 with its hollow ground cutting edge 48 and the lower blade II withits inclined cutting edge 49 disposed in severing relationship with a tile 50', it will be observed that the cutting edge 48 penetrates into the body of the tile 5!] prior to any substantial penetration of the cutting edge 49 into the material. It will also be observed that, by reason of inclination of the cutting edge 49 along itslength, the severing action is progressive along the length of the cut and thus hand severance of hard, tough ma- .terials with a sharp, clean cut edge is facilitated. In cutting asphalt tile, after severance has been effected through a portion of the thickness of the tile, a shearing action occurs which completes the cutting of the tile. Since there is a severing action as contrasted with a fractur ing action at the upper surface at least of the tile, clean, sharp edges result at the upper surface of the tile where the joints between adjacent tiles are visible when the tile is installed. This type of severing action is not obtainable with the slate cutter type machines nor is it obtainable with flat ground severing members. It will be observed that the upper cutter bar i4 is free to pass over the surface of the lower cutter bar II; and this assists in the attainment of a severing action or shearingv action rather than the fracturing action which occurs when the movable blade is brought down through the piece to be cut, againsta flat or recessed surface against which the blade is pressed.

, I claim: i

1. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame; astationary cutter bar fixed on the.frame;a movable cutter bar mounted for sliding movement on the frame in shearing relationship with the stationary cutter bar with the cutting edges of said cutter bars being inclined in a'single direction, one with respect to the other, means attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking movement with respect thereto in a fixed plane, means 'engageable with the movable cutter bar adjacent to each of the ends thereof tomove the same in said fixed plane with respect to said stationary cutter bar with a substantially uniform motion to bring the cutting edge of the movable cutter bar progressively into shearing relationship with respect to the stationary cutter bar, and a spring acting on each end portion of said movable cutter bar and constituting the sole means for returning said movable cutter bar to normal position.

2. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame, a stationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar mounted for sliding movement on the frame in shearing relationship with respect to the stationary cutter bar, means attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking movement with respect thereto in a fixed plane, a pair of cams pivoted to the frame above the movable cutter bar and engageable therewith adjacent to each of the ends thereof to move the same with respect to said stationary cutter bar with a substantially uniform motion, said cams having substantially equal throws and one being pivoted to said frame a greater distance from the cutting edge of the stationary cutter bar than the other to incline the cutting edge of said movable cutter bar in a single direction with respect to said cutting edge of the stationary cutter bar, means pivoted to said cams for connecting the same for coincidental pivotal movement, and a spring acting on each end portion of said movable cutter bar and constituting the sole means for returning said movable cutter bar to normal position.

3. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame, a stationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar mounted on the frame for sliding movement in shearing relationship with said stationary cutter bar, means attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking movement in a fixed plane with respect thereto, a plurality of cams pivoted to the frame and engageable with said movable cutter bar to move the same with respect to said stationary cutter bar, a connecting bar pivoted to said cams cidental pivotal movement thereto, and tension means disposed between said movable cutter bar and said connecting bar and constituting the sole connection between said movable cutter bar and its actuating cams.

4. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame, a stationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar mounted on the frame for sliding movement in shearing relationship with said stationary cutter bar, means attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking movement in a fixed plane with respect thereto, a plurality of cams pivoted to the frame and engageable with said movable cutter bar to move the same with respect to said stationary cutter bar, a connecting bar pivoted to said cams for imparting coinassets;

for imparting coincidental pivotal movementthereto, an'da pair of tension springs connected to said movable cutter bar and said connecting bar, one adjacent to each of the ends of said movable cutter bar, said springs constituting the sole connection between said movable cutter bar and its actuating cams;

5. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame, a stationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar mounted on the frame for sliding movement in shearing relationship with said stationary cutter bar, a plurality of cams pivoted to the frame and engageable with said movable cutter bar to move the same with respect to said stationary cutter bar, a connecting bar pivoted to said cams for imparting coincidental pivotal movement thereto, tension means disposed between said movable cutter bar and said connecting bar and constituting the sole connection between said movable cutter bar and its actuating cams, and means passing through a slot in said movable cutter bar and into said frame for attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking motion in a fixed plane with respect thereto.

6. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like, the combination of a frame, a stationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar, guide plates secured to said frame overlying the ends of said movable cutter bar, means passing through an opening in said movable cutter bar and secured to said frame for attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding and rocking movement with respect thereto between said guide plates in a fixed plane substantially free of lateral movement, a plurality of cams pivoted to said frame and engageable with said movable cutter bar to move the same with respect to said stationary cutter bar with a substantially uniform motion, said cams having substantially equal throws and one being pivoted to saidframe a greater distance from the cutting edge of the stationary cutter bar than another to incline the cutting edge of said movable cutter bar in a single direction with respect to said cutting edge of the stationary cutter bar, a'connecting bar pivoted to said cams for imparting coincidental pivotal movement thereto, and a pair of tension springs connected to said movable cutter bar and said connecting bar at spaced points along the length of said movable cutter bar and said connecting bar to apply nonuniform tension to said movable cutter bar as said bars are moved, said springs constituting the sole means for returning said movable cutter bar to a normal position.

'7. In a cutter for asphalt tile and the like the combination of a frame, astationary cutter bar fixed on the frame, a movable cutter bar mounted on the frame for sliding movement in shearing relationship with said stationary cutter bar, means attaching said movable cutter bar to said frame for sliding movement in a fixed plane with respect to said frame substantially free of lateral motion and free for slight rocking motion, a plurality of cams of substantially equal throws pivoted to said frame, said cams engaging said movable cutter bar to move the same with a substantially uniform motion with respect to said stationary cutter bar, a connecting bar pivoted to said cams for lateral movement with respect to said movable cutter bar to impart coincidental pivotal movement to said cams, and springs pivotally connected to said movable cutter bar and to said laterally movable pivoted connecting bar 7.v andacting on each endportion. oi said movable cutter bar to apply nonuniform: tension to said movable: cutter bar durin return m v m nt thereofto normal position, said-springsoonstituting the: sole.- means for returning said movable 5 cutter bar to. said-norma1 position.

CHARLES A. REGELE;

REFERENCES CITED The, following references are. of record in. the 10 file, of this patent;

Number Number Name Date, McDougal V Deo.,1 1886 Pond. t v v t June 17, 1913 Hahnemann, Nov. 18, 1919 Wil1iamsv July 29,1924 Gundlach -,o r Dec. 20, 1927. Washburn Jan, 8, 1935 Osthexg ,o .v July 16, 1940' Wil1iams1- Dec.v 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Nov. 28, 1922 

